Oregon Will Get Second Area Code

U S West Communications has begun notifying its 800,000 customers in Oregon that a second area code for the state will go into effect this fall.

The northwest corner of the state - including Salem, Portland and Astoria - will remain in the 503 area code, the company said.

Phone numbers in the rest of Oregon - including Corvallis, Lincoln City, Eugene and Bend - will be preceded with the new area code: 541.

Callers may use the new area code beginning Nov. 5. Its use will become mandatory on June 30, 1996.

The seven-month grace period will allow customers to revise stationery and notify their callers.

U S West said the new area code is necessary because of the growing demand for phone numbers in Oregon. Without the change, the company said the state would run out of phone number prefixes next year.